System for delivering web content to fuel dispenser

ABSTRACT

A system implements a communications protocol in connection with a refueling environment coupled to a remote facility. The remote facility is disposed apart from the fuel dispenser locations and is connected to a network such as the World Wide Web of the Internet. Regarding a customer at one of the fuel dispenser locations, a user identification such as credit card account information is sent to the remote facility. The remote facility then establishes an access connection with a network node such as a server, on behalf of the customer. The network communications follow a client-server session format and are correlated to the user ID. The remote facility sends a cookie element to the server that was previously set by the server during an initial Web site visit. The cookie contains state information such as a unique identification number generated by the server. The remote facility associates the unique identification number with the relevant user ID. The server uses the received cookie element to identify the corresponding user profile record maintained at the server side. The server generates customized content from the retrieved user profile record and sends it to the customer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a system for delivering Web sitecontent to a refueling environment, and, more particularly, to a systemproviding customized Web pages to fuel dispenser sites that employs aremote facility which links a user identification with a state objectsuch as an internet cookie utility.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] The World Wide Web is a wide-area hypermedia informationretrieval system aimed at providing unlimited access to a large universeof documents. The architecture of the Web follows a conventionalclient-server model. Generally, a client refers to a machine or othersuch computer entity that requests information, while a server refers toan entity that provides the information.

[0005] Under the Web environment, Web browsers reside in clients and Webdocuments reside in servers. A Web browser is a client-side softwareprogram that may be run on a computers. Well known browsers includeNetscape Navigator™ and Microsoft's Internet Explorer™. Web clients andWeb servers communicate using a protocol called Hypertext TransferProtocol (HTTP). The Web is that portion of the Internet whichcommunicates in the HTTP protocol.

[0006] According to a conventional access protocol, a browser opens aconnection to a specified server and initiates a request for a document.As known, this connection is facilitated with the use of UniformResource Locators (URLs). In response, the accessed server delivers therequested document, typically in the from of a text document coded in astandard Hypertext Markup Language format (HTML). When the connection isclosed to conclude the session (i.e., the client-server interaction),the server returns to a passive role, namely, it can accept commandsfrom the same or other clients but does not request the client toperform any actions.

[0007] More particularly, in response to a document request sent by abrowser, a server sends multiple HTML files (i.e., Web site pages)contained within a sequence of messages implemented in the HTTPprotocol. When the HTML file(s) are received by the client computerexecuting the browser, each communication stack layer performs itsfunction until a datastream containing an HTTP header and correspondingdata segment is presented to the browser. On the Internet, thecommunication stack implements a Transport Control Protocol/InternetProtocol (TCP/IP).

[0008] One portion of the browser verifies that the information and theHTTP header have been accurately delivered to the application program.The browser then displays the data delivered in the HTML files receivedfrom the server. Because the TCP/IP protocol used for the Internet is apacket communication protocol, several messages are typically requiredbefore a complete file is available for display.

[0009] Although the server functions chiefly to provide the client withrequested information, the server may also send state information to aclient for storage on the client side, which will be subsequentlyretransmitted to the server during a later visit. For example, when aserver responds to an HTTP request by returning an HTTP document objectto a client, the server may also send state information provided in theform of a state object. A cookie data field is one known data field thatmay be included in the HTTP header of an HTTP response to embody suchstate information.

[0010] State information is typically developed during the firstinteraction (i.e., web site visit) between the web server and theclient-side browser. For example, in response to an incoming messagerequesting a multimedia object, the server examines the request todetermine the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the requesting browserand to determine whether a cookie was received, for example, in the MIMEheading of the request.

[0011] If the browser at the client-side (i.e., sender) is cookieenabled but no cookie is detected, then the request is considered by theserver to originate from a new user. Accordingly, the server assigns aunique identification number or code to the sender that the servertransmits back to the client-side browser in the form of a cookie. Thistransmission is accompanied by a write cookie instruction that causesthe client browser to write a cookie containing that uniqueidentification number on the local drive or memory of the sender. Forexample, the transmitted cookie is typically stored on the hard disk ofthe client PC within a cookie list compiled by the client PC. The cookiecan be included within later communications involving returns visits bythe client to the server.

[0012] Typically, the cookie includes a description of a range of URLsfor which the related state information is considered valid. As known,this URL range definition could be set by appropriately setting thedomain attribute field as part of the write cookie instruction. Thus,when the client system sends future HTTP requests to servers that fallwithin the range of defined URLs for a particular cookie, the requestswill include a transmittal of the current value of the correspondingstate object associated with the cookie.

[0013] The use of cookies has gained prominence in the field of Internetadvertising. For example, advertisers are able to implement a limitedform of targeted advertising over the Internet by maintaining aserver-side user profile database that records user-specific informationpertaining to various users that may potentially access the server. Eachuser profile is cross-indexed to a unique identification numberpreviously assigned to the user (i.e., client-side sender) during afirst visit by the user. An example of such a system may be found inU.S. Pat. No. 5,948,061, which is incorporated herein by referencethereto.

[0014] When the client system accesses a web site having an addresswithin a limited range of domain names specified by a written cookiestored at the client, the client system automatically transmits a copyof the relevant cookie to the web server that hosts the accessed website. The cookie preferably includes the unique identification numberthat was previously assigned to the client by the server during a firstvisit.

[0015] At the server side, the accessed server interprets the uniqueidentification number contained within the received cookie as anindication of the identity of the client system. The server uses thecookie to identify the corresponding user profile information storedwithin the profile database maintained at the server side. In thismanner, a customized copy of the requested web page can be constructedand delivered to the web browser based upon the user-specific profiledata retrieved from the database.

[0016] However, current usage of this cookie utility cannot accommodateimplementations where a user needs to receive customized web pages atvarious client machines. The unique identification numbers assigned byservers are machine-specific, namely, the identification numbercorresponds to a unique client entity. Accordingly, in the case where acommon PC terminal is shared by various individuals accessing the sameserver at different times, the profile data on one user developed duringa dedicated communications session will be commingled with profile dataon another user accessing the same server during another communicationssession.

[0017] This commingling of profile data occurs because the server is notcapable of distinguishing or discriminating between the different users.From the viewpoint of the server, it appears that the same user (andhence the same profile definition) is accessing the server since theincoming cookie containing the unique identification number is the sameregardless of who is manning the client terminal (i.e., manipulating thebrowser). Accordingly, although several different individuals areaccessing the same server at different times, the server is manipulatingand working with the same user profile record since the correspondingclient identification number transmitted in the cookie is the same foreach access connection.

[0018] This limitation is particularly noticeable in applicationenvironments where system customers are mobile and services can berendered over a wide geographic region. For example, in refuelingenvironments having a network of fuel dispenser sites, it would bedesirable to provide an operational functionality that deliverscustomized content while supporting client portability. In this manner,a customer can receive customized content regardless of the clientlocation (i.e., fuel dispenser site) where the customer decides toestablish an access connection to a specified server.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] A system is provided for use in a refueling environmentcomprising a plurality of fuel dispenser sites. The individual refuelinglocations are arranged for communication with a remote central facility.The remote facility is arranged for communication with a network havinga plurality of nodes. In one form, the network is the Internet andincludes the World Wide Web, with various ones of the individual nodesbeing configured as Web servers. In a preferred form, the refuelinglocations and remote facility are connected to the network and hence canbe considered network nodes.

[0020] According to one form of the invention, a refueling customerprovides a user identification as part of the refueling transaction. Forexample, during a credit or debit transaction, the customer credit cardnumber may be retrieved from the dispenser input device (i.e., magneticcard reader) and translated into a user identification (ID) signal. Theuser ID is then transmitted to the remote facility.

[0021] At the remote facility, following receipt of the user ID from thecorresponding fuel dispenser site, a request for information is directedto a specified network node, i.e., Web server. This information request,for example, pertains to a designated Web page and is typicallyreferenced in a known manner using an appropriate Uniform ResourceLocator (URL). The specified Web server, following receipt of theinformation request from the remote facility, sends a reply to theremote facility requesting state information, namely, cookie data.

[0022] At the remote facility, in response to the cookie requestreceived from the Web server, the unique cookie data elementcorresponding to the user ID associated with the current communicationssession is retrieved from a database and forwarded to the Web server.The remote facility maintains an archive of user identification elementseach cross-indexed with a respective state object, i.e., cookie dataelement.

[0023] Various cookie data elements each corresponding to a respectiveserver may be associated with a particular user ID element. For thispurpose, and in a known manner, the remote facility will include afunctionality that enables it to identify and retrieve only that cookieelement that corresponds to the specified server participating in thecurrent session associated with the relevant user ID. For example, asimple comparison of the current server URL specification to the domainattributes of each cookie element will reveal the correct cookieelement.

[0024] In a conventional manner, the state object embodied within acookie is first created during an initial interaction between the remotefacility and the Web server in connection with a corresponding user ID.In particular, the Web server generates a cookie upon receiving anindication from the remote facility that no cookie is present relatingto the current user ID of interest. The generated cookie is forwarded tothe remote facility, which adds it to the database and associates itwith the corresponding user ID.

[0025] At the Web server, assuming that the remote facility possessesthe requested cookie and has sent it to the server, the cookie dataelement received from the remote facility is used as an index marker forperforming searches in a user profile database maintained by the Webserver. The database includes a plurality of user profile data elementseach cross-indexed with a unique cookie data element, namely, uniqueidentification numbers previously assigned by the server.

[0026] The Web server retrieves from the database the relevant userprofile data element that corresponds to the cookie currently receivedfrom the remote facility. In particular, the cookie is used to accessand identify the correct user profile data record. The Web servergenerates a customized Web page based upon the user profile dataretrieved from the database. The customized Web page is then forwardedto the remote facility.

[0027] At the remote facility, the customized Web page received from theWeb server is downloaded to the relevant fuel dispenser site where it isdisplayed or otherwise presented for viewing by the customer. For thispurpose, the fuel dispenser sites are preferably configured with aclient functionality including, for example, a computer machine (e.g.,personal computer) having an executable browser program and a graphicaluser interface (GUI). Optionally, the customized Web page may bedownloaded directly from the Web server to the fuel dispenser site,which is possible when the refueling environment is connected to thenetwork.

[0028] According to another form of the invention, a user identificationis similarly transmitted to the remote facility from a respective fueldispenser site. At the remote facility, following receipt of the user IDfrom the fuel dispenser site, the remote facility retrieves the cookiedata element corresponding to the user ID and forwards the retrievedcookie to the fuel dispenser site. The remote facility similarlymaintains an archive of user identifications each cross-indexed with arespective state object, i.e., cookie data element.

[0029] At the fuel dispenser site, following receipt of the cookie dataelement from the remote facility, a request for information is directedto a specified network node, i.e., Web server. The Web server, followingreceipt of the information request from the fuel dispenser site, sends areply to the fuel dispenser site requesting state information, namely,cookie data. At the fuel dispenser site, in response to the cookierequest from the Web server, the cookie data element received from theremote facility is forwarded to the Web server.

[0030] At the Web server, the cookie data element received from the fueldispenser site is used as an index marker for performing searches in theuser profile database maintained by the Web server. The databaselikewise includes a plurality of user profile data elements eachcross-indexed with a unique cookie data element. The Web server likewiseretrieves from the database the relevant user profile data element thatcorresponds to the cookie currently received from the fuel dispensersite, using the cookie to access and identify the correct user profiledata record. The Web server generates a customized Web page based uponthe user profile data retrieved from the database. The customized Webpage is then forwarded to the fuel dispenser site.

[0031] At the fuel dispenser site, the customized Web page received fromthe Web server is displayed or otherwise presented for viewing by thecustomer. For this purpose, the fuel dispenser sites are preferablyconfigured with a client functionality including, for example, acomputer machine (e.g., personal computer) having an executable browserprogram and a graphical user interface (GUI).

[0032] The invention, in one form thereof, is directed to a system foruse with a network comprising at least one resource. The system includesa refueling environment capable of servicing at least one user, and aremote facility disposed apart from the refueling environment. Theremote facility is configured to execute operational functionscomprising, inter alia, receiving a user identification from therefueling environment, providing state information associated with theuser identification, and sending the state information associated withthe user identification from the remote facility to a selective one ofthe at least one resource in the network.

[0033] In one form, the selective one network resource is configured toexecute operational functions comprising, inter alia, directingcustomized resource content from the selective one network resource tothe refueling environment, wherein the customized resource content isdeveloped by the network resource using the state information receivedfrom the remote facility.

[0034] For this purpose, the network resource preferably comprises ameans for developing the customized resource content. The contentdevelopment means is configured to operatively perform the followingoperations: retrieving user profile data corresponding to the useridentification, the retrieval operation using the state informationreceived from the remote facility to identify the user profile data, theuser profile data being maintained by the selective one networkresource, and generating content using the retrieved user profile data.

[0035] In a preferred form, the network resource includes, incombination, a data structure comprising a plurality of user datarecords each indexed with a respective state information element; ameans for retrieving a user data record from the data structure, usingstate information operatively received from the remote facility as anidentifier; a means for generating content, using the retrieved userdata record; and a means for communicating the generated content fromthe respective network resource to the refueling environment.

[0036] The delivery of customized resource content from the selectiveone network resource to the refueling environment preferably occurs viathe remote facility.

[0037] The remote facility, in one form, is configured further toselectively send a resource request from the remote facility to theselective one network resource. At least one network resource isconfigured to execute operational functions comprising, inter alia,prompting the remote facility for state information, in response to aresource request received from the remote facility, the resource requestbeing associated with a respective user identification; and generatingand sending state information to the remote facility, in response to anindication received from the remote facility responsive to the stateinformation prompt that no state information exists relative to therespective user identification associated therewith.

[0038] The state information preferably includes a cookie. Additionally,the user identification comprises at least one of credit cardinformation, biometric data, bar code data, phone number data, and namedata.

[0039] The invention, in another form thereof, is directed to a systemfor use with a network comprising at least one resource. The systemcomprises, in combination, a refueling environment capable of servicingat least one user, and a remote facility disposed apart from therefueling environment.

[0040] The remote facility is configured to execute operationalfunctions comprising, inter alia, receiving at least one useridentification from the refueling environment, sending at least onerespective request for information from the remote facility to thenetwork, each information request being associated with a respectiveuser identification and being directed to a respective selective networkresource, and sending at least one state object communication from theremote facility to the network.

[0041] Each state object communication is associated with a respectiveuser identification and is directed to the respective selective networkresource associated therewith. Furthermore, each state objectcommunications is responsive to a respective state information requestissued by the respective selective network resource associatedtherewith. Moreover, each state object communication includes respectivestate information associated with the respective user identificationassociated therewith.

[0042] In one form, each network resource is configured to executeoperational functions comprising, inter alia, generating contentaccording to a user profile maintained by the respective selectivenetwork resource, the user profile being identified by the respectivestate information communicated from the remote facility, and directingthe generated content from the respective selective network resource tothe refueling environment.

[0043] In another form, each network resource is configured also tooperatively execute the following operations: generating stateinformation, responsive to an indication received from the remotefacility that no state information is present relative to a respectiveuser identification, and sending the generated state information to theremote facility. The remote facility, in another form, is configured toexecute operational functions comprising, inter alia, associating thestate information received from the respective network resource with therespective user identification.

[0044] The state information preferably includes a cookie. Additionally,the user identification comprises at least one of credit cardinformation, biometric data, bar code data, phone number data, and namedata.

[0045] The invention, in another form thereof, is directed to a systemfor use with a network comprising at least one node. The systemcomprises, in combination, a refueling environment comprising aplurality of fuel dispenser sites, the refueling environment beingcapable of servicing at least one user; and a central facility disposedapart from at least one fuel dispenser site.

[0046] The refueling environment is configured to selectivelyoperatively communicate at least one user identification from therefueling environment to the central facility. Each communicated useridentification is associated with a respective user of a respective fueldispenser site.

[0047] The central facility comprises, in combination, a means toprovide at least one respective state object in association with eachrespective user identification, and a means, responsive to at least onerespective user identification, for directing a respective communicationfrom the central facility to a respective node in the network, therespective communication including at least one respective state objectassociated with the respective user identification.

[0048] In one form, each network node further comprises, in combination,a means for generating customized content, the content being developedusing a respective state object communication received by the respectiveone network node from the central facility; and a means for directingthe generated content to a respective fuel dispenser site correspondingto the respective user having the respective user identificationassociated with the respective state object communication.

[0049] The content generation means, in one form, includes a means forretrieving user profile data corresponding to the respective useridentification associated with the state object communication receivedby the one network node from the central facility, and a means forproviding content using the retrieved user profile data. The retrievaloperation uses the respective state object communication received fromthe central facility to identify the respective user profile data.

[0050] The central facility, in one form, comprises in combination ameans for generating and sending at least one request for informationfrom the central facility to the network, each information request beingassociated with a respective user identification and being directed to arespective network node; and a means for generating and sending at leastone reply communication from the central facility to the network. Eachsuch reply communication is responsive to a respective state objectrequest sent thereto by a respective network node and is directed to therespective network node. Moreover, each such reply communicationincludes at least one state object associated with the respective useridentification.

[0051] The central facility, in another form, also includes a means fordirecting at least one communication from the central facility to arespective fuel dispenser site. Each such communication is associatedwith a respective user identification of a corresponding user of thefuel dispenser site. Preferably, at least one such central facilitycommunication includes at least one state object associated with therespective user identification. The refueling environment, in anotherform, further includes a means for directing at least one respectivecommunication from a respective corresponding fuel dispenser site to arespective node in the network. At least one of the fuel dispenser sitecommunications includes at least one state object communicated theretofrom the central facility.

[0052] Each network node, in another form, further includes incombination a means for generating a respective state object, therespective state object being associated with a respective communicationfrom the central facility involving a respective user identification,and a means for sending the generated state object to the centralfacility. The central facility, in another form, further includes ameans for associating respective state information received from arespective network node with the respective user identificationassociated therewith.

[0053] Each network node, in yet another form, also includes incombination a data structure comprising a plurality of user data recordseach correspondingly associated with a respective state informationelement; a means, responsive to a respective state object received bythe respective one network node from the central facility, forretrieving from the data structure a user data record corresponding tothe respective state object; a means for generating content, using theretrieved user data record; and a means for directing the generatedcontent to at least one of the central facility and the refuelingenvironment.

[0054] At least one state object preferable includes at least onerespective cookie. Additionally, each user identification respectivelycomprises at least one of credit card information, biometric data, barcode data, phone number data, and name data.

[0055] The invention, in another form thereof, is directed to a systemfor use with a network comprising at least one resource. The systemincludes, in combination, a refueling environment capable of servicingat least one user, and a remote facility disposed apart from therefueling environment.

[0056] The remote facility is configured to execute operationalfunctions comprising, inter alia, receiving a user identification fromthe refueling environment, providing state information associated withthe user identification, and sending the state information associatedwith the user identification from the remote facility to the refuelingenvironment.

[0057] The refueling environment is configured to execute operationalfunctions comprising, inter alia, sending state information receivedfrom the remote facility to a selective one of the at least one resourcein the network.

[0058] In one form, at least one network resource further includes ameans for providing customized resource content to the refuelingenvironment. The customized resource content is developed by therespective one network resource using state information received fromthe refueling environment.

[0059] More particularly, in a preferred form, the network resourcefurther includes, in combination, a data structure comprising aplurality of user data records each indexed with a respective stateinformation element; a means, responsive to state information receivedfrom the refueling environment, for retrieving a user data record fromthe data structure corresponding to the received state information; ameans for generating content, using the retrieved user data record; anda means for directing the generated content to the refuelingenvironment.

[0060] The state information preferably includes a cookie. Additionally,the user identification comprises at least one of credit cardinformation, biometric data, bar code data, phone number data, and namedata.

[0061] The invention, in yet another form thereof, is directed to asystem for use with a network comprising at least one node. The systemincludes, in combination, a refueling environment comprising at leastone fuel dispenser site, the refueling environment being capable ofservicing at least one user; and a remote facility disposed apart fromat least one fuel dispenser site.

[0062] The refueling environment is configured to execute operationalfunctions comprising, inter alia, directing at least one useridentification from the refueling environment to the remote facility.Each user identification is associated with a respective user of arespective fuel dispenser site.

[0063] The remote facility comprises, in combination, a means forproviding respective state information in association with at least onerespective user identification received from the refueling environment;and a means, responsive to a respective user identification receivedfrom the refueling environment, for sending a respective communicationto the respective fuel dispenser site associated with the respectiveuser identification. The remote facility communication includesrespective state information associated with the respective useridentification.

[0064] At least one fuel dispenser site, in one form thereof, furtherincludes a means, responsive to a respective state informationcommunication received from the remote facility, for sending arespective user communication to a selective one of the at least onenetwork node. The respective user communication includes the respectivestate information.

[0065] At least one network node, in one form thereof, further includesin combination a means, responsive to respective state informationoperatively received from a respective fuel dispenser site, forgenerating content according to a user profile maintained by the networknode; and a means for directing the generated content to the respectivefuel dispenser site. The user profile is identified by the receivedrespective state information.

[0066] The state information preferably includes a cookie. Moreover, atleast one user identification respectively comprises at least one ofcredit card information, biometric data, bar code data, phone numberdata, and name data.

[0067] The invention, in yet another form thereof, is directed to asystem for use with a network comprising at least one node. The systemincludes, in combination, a refueling environment comprising at leastone fuel dispenser site, the refueling environment being capable ofservicing at least one user; and a central facility disposed apart fromat least one fuel dispenser site.

[0068] The refueling environment includes a means for communicating atleast one user identification from the refueling environment to thecentral facility. Each such communicated user identification isassociated with a respective user of a respective fuel dispenser site.

[0069] The central facility includes, in combination, a means forassociating at least one respective user identification received fromthe refueling environment with at least one respective state object, anda means, responsive to receiving a respective user identificationcommunicated from a respective fuel dispenser site associated therewith,for directing a communication from the central facility to therespective fuel dispenser site. The central facility communicationincludes at least one state object associated with the respective useridentification.

[0070] At least one fuel dispenser site, in one form thereof, furtherincludes a means, responsive to receiving a respective state objectcommunication from the central facility, for generating and sending arespective communication to a respective node in the network. Thedispenser site communication includes at least one state object receivedfrom the central facility.

[0071] At least one network node, in one form thereof, further includesin combination a means, responsive to receiving a respective stateobject communication from a respective fuel dispenser site, forgenerating respective customized content; and a means for communicatingthe generated content to the respective fuel dispenser site. The contentis developed using the respective state object communication received bythe respective one network node. More particularly, the network nodepreferably includes, in combination, a data means for providing aplurality of user profile data elements each associated with arespective state element; a means, responsive to receiving a respectivestate object communication from a respective fuel dispenser site, forretrieving from the data means the respective user profile data elementcorresponding to the respective state object contained within therespective state object communication; a means for generating contentusing the retrieved user profile data element; and a means forcommunicating the generated content to the respective fuel dispensersite.

[0072] At least one state object preferably includes at least onerespective cookie. Moreover, at least one user identificationrespectively comprises at least one of credit card information,biometric data, bar code data, phone number data, and name data.

[0073] One advantage of the present invention is that a refuelingcustomer is able to receive customized Web page content from any fueldispenser location, without regard to the conventional limitation thatcustomized content typically could only be directed to the same user,i.e., client machine.

[0074] Another advantage of the present invention is that it uses astandard Internet mechanism, namely, a cookie utility, and thereforedoes not require any reprogramming, reconfiguration, or specialcommunication code at the server side.

[0075] A further advantage of the invention is that the functionality ofthe remote facility in centrally maintaining a compilation of refuelingcustomer identification elements each associated with at least onerespective state object enables the remote facility to effectively serveas a centralized proxy-type client entity capable of fulfilling andexecuting the client-side operations of various actual client locationsdisposed apart therefrom (i.e., fuel dispenser sites).

[0076] Another advantage of the invention is that the functionality ofthe remote facility in centrally maintaining a compilation of refuelingcustomer identification elements each associated with at least onerespective state object enables the designation of any user machine as aclient location recognizable by the network server as a distinct returnvisitor, since the state object corresponding to the relevant user ID issimply forwarded to the designated client location and used incommunications with the specified Web server; accordingly, the Webserver itself has no indication that the user is operating from amachine different from prior visits since the user has been correctlyidentified using the same state object, i.e., cookie data element.

[0077] Another advantage of the invention is that a unique customerprofile can be established and updated during a plurality of Web sitevisits that are initiated and conducted by a refueling customer frommultiple fuel dispenser locations; notably, the server recognizes thatthe same customer is associated with a particular profile since the samecookie data element is associated with the visit, although the customermay be visiting from a dispenser location and client machine differentfrom previous visits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0078] The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of thisinvention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparentand the invention will be better understood by reference to thefollowing description of an embodiment of the invention taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0079]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustration of a system configurationaccording to the present invention, which depicts in one form theinterconnection between the refueling environment, remote facility, andnetwork;

[0080]FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustration of a system configurationaccording to the present invention, which depicts in another form theinterconnection between the refueling environment, remote facility, andnetwork;

[0081]FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustration of a communications system,according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0082]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the communications protocolimplemented in the system of FIG. 3;

[0083]FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustration of a communications system,according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[0084]FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the communications protocolimplemented in the system of FIG. 5.

[0085] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views. The exemplification set out hereinillustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, andsuch exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of theinvention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0086] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown in block diagram view anillustrative communications system 10 comprising a refueling environment12, a remote central service facility 14, and a network 16, according toone form of the invention.

[0087] The illustrated refueling environment 12 includes a plurality ofrefueling locations or fuel dispenser sites 18 each including multipledispenser positions 20 of conventional form. A representative dispenserposition 20 would be capable of servicing a refueling customer in aknown manner.

[0088] The illustrated remote central facility 14 is disposed apart fromat least one of the fuel dispenser sites 18, but preferably from theentire refueling environment 12. As used herein, the remoteness ofcentral facility 14 from refueling environment 12 can refer to anyseparation distance, covering a few miles to thousands of miles, forexample. The refueling environment 12 and remote facility 14 areconfigured for selective connection to one another over a communicationslink 22 of any suitable form.

[0089] For example, communications link 22 may include a privateintranet enabling peer-to-peer transmissions among the various fueldispenser sites 18 and with remote facility 14. Alternately, each fueldispenser site 18 may have a dedicated point-to-point link with remotefacility 14. Optionally, communications link 22 may subsist (in whole orin part) within network 16.

[0090] The illustrated network 16 comprises a plurality of network nodes24 each illustratively configured as a host resource or server 26. In apreferred form, network 16 comprises the Internet and includes the WorldWide Web (WWW), where various network nodes 24 constitute Web servers26. Remote facility 14 is arranged for connection to network 16 usingany suitable connection means 28. In one form, remote facility 14 itselfcould be considered a node of network 16. It should be apparent thatnetwork 16 may include, and/or be connected to, various other publicand/or private networks, communication systems, terminals, machines, andother such resources.

[0091] As described further herein, remote facility 14 provides adistributed, centralized management functionality that facilitates theexchange of information and the implementation of various othercommunication activities between the refueling environment 12 andnetwork 16. In brief, remote facility 14 enables customers at individualfuel dispenser sites 18 to selectively access and download requested Webpages from specified Web servers 26 in network 16. This requestedcontent is preferably customized to the individual customer. Accordingto one aspect of the invention, this customization feature is availableregardless of which fuel dispenser site 18 (and dispenser position 20)the customer is using as the client-side entity. Remote facility 14includes a multi-tasking functionality that enables it to process,coordinate, and handle such communication tasks.

[0092] In one form, communication system 10 may be configured accordingto a standard client-server architecture model well known to thoseskilled in the art. According to such a model, remote facility 14 andthe individual fuel dispenser sites 18 would be recognized and/orconfigured (at least in part) as client-side entities arranged forselective communication with nodes 24 of network 16, namely, Web servers26. However, this client-server characterization should not beconsidered in limitation of the present invention, as it should beapparent that any suitable implementation may be used to practice theinvention.

[0093] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown an alternateconfiguration for communication system 10 of FIG. 1, according toanother form of the invention. As shown, remote facility 14 and thevarious fuel dispenser sites 18 are essentially configured as networknodes having a networked connection to network 16. In this manner, thereis the possibility of peer-to-peer (point-to-point) communicationsbetween any ones of the nodes over network 16. For example, eachdispenser position 20 can establish an access connection directly with aspecified Web server 26.

[0094] The communications topology in FIG. 2 has certain advantages,particularly when network 16 represents the Internet. For example,additional nodes (e.g., fuel dispenser sites 18) can easily be added tonetwork 16 by providing any suitable network connection. In one form, anew fuel dispenser site could be internet-enabled by simply providing aterminal running any conventional browser program suitable to navigatethe Web and execute various Internet functions and commands known tothose skilled in the art, e.g., tasks such as requesting, sending,receiving, selecting, and displaying Web content.

[0095] It should be understood that the network configurations shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 are simply illustrative and should not be considered inlimitation of the present invention, as it should be apparent that anyother suitable configuration may be used to interconnect the refuelingenvironment 12, remote facility 14, and network 16.

[0096] Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown an illustrativeimplementation of communication system 10 of either or both FIGS. 1 and2, according to one embodiment of the present invention. Thecommunications protocol and/or transaction sequence involving the systemof FIG. 3 is outlined in FIG. 4. Although FIG. 3 only shows anarrangement involving a single fuel dispenser position and a specifiedWeb server, it should be understood that this illustration is merelyrepresentative and that other fuel dispenser positions may be similarlyarranged with other network nodes.

[0097] The illustrated fuel dispenser position 20 is preferably providedin a conventional form including a fuel dispenser apparatus 30, inputdevice 32, point-of-sale (POS) terminal 34, and controller 36 arrangedin a conventional manner. As known, dispenser apparatus 30 may includeany suitable equipment configuration for refueling a vehicle, such as astandard nozzle and hose assembly in combination with a pump assembly.

[0098] Input device 32 may include any standard mechanism for obtaininginformation from the customer, such as data useful in initiating,authorizing, and/or executing a refueling transaction. For example,input device 32 may include, without limitation, a magnetic card reader,optical scanner, bar code reader, keyboard, touch-sensitive displaypanel, or any combination thereof to collect credit card account data,debit account data, or other personal identification information fromthe customer.

[0099] Optionally, input device 32 may be provided in a form thatcollects customer information that is unaffiliated with and/or unrelatedto the refueling transaction, such as biometric data or other useridentification data (e.g., cell phone number, customer-specific code, orpassword).

[0100] In general, input device 32 may be considered any means forobtaining user identification (ID) information from the customer.Preferably, in order to standardize the setup for fuel dispenserposition 20, the user ID information will embody information affiliatedwith the refueling transaction. In particular, in a preferred form, theuser ID information will be derived and/or based upon customer paymentdata, e.g., credit card account information. One preferred feature ofthe user ID information is that it will uniquely represent the customer,as is typically the case with credit card account numbers.

[0101] The POS terminal 34 represents any conventional means thatprovides various transaction-related tasks, such as authorizing therequested transaction using the collected customer payment data andmonitoring the refueling operation. The POS terminal 34 may be either adedicated unit assigned to the dispenser position 20 or, more typically,a centralized control terminal housed in an on-site operator locationand connected to all of the site dispenser positions.

[0102] Controller 36 implements in a conventional manner the controlfunctionality of the various fuel dispenser positions 20. Preferably, asunderstood by those skilled in the art, a single site controller 36 isemployed to provide centralized and distributed control of the refuelingactivity undertaken by the collection of fuel dispenser positions at thesite.

[0103] Controller 36 is preferably provided with any suitable networkconnection (not shown) enabling any one of the dispenser positions 20 atthe particular fuel dispenser site to establish a network connectionwith any other entity connected to the network. For example, in FIG. 3,the network connection would enable communications with remote facility14. Optionally, the network connection could establish connectivity withthe World Wide Web 38 (i.e., network 16).

[0104] The illustrated fuel dispenser position 20 also includes a clientterminal or location 40 preferably arranged for connection to controller36. Client terminal 40 comprises a selectively executable browsersoftware program 42 running on a client machine 39. The client machine39 may be provided in any conventional computer configuration. Forexample, client machine 39 may include, but is not limited to, amicroprocessor, memory units (RAM, ROM), storage devices, controller,communications bus, peripheral devices (e.g., printer), monitor/displayunit, keyboard, network devices (e.g., modem), and graphical userinterface (GUI). Additionally, any of various conventional softwareprograms may be installed on client machine 39, such as e-mail programs,word processors, and other suitable software modules.

[0105] Among its various functionalities, client terminal 40 cancommunicate with remote facility 14 via controller 36 and communicationslink 22. Alternately, client terminal 40 can be suitably configured fora direct network connection to remote facility 14 and/or Web 38. In afully networked Internet implementation based upon the architecture ofFIG. 2, client terminal 40 is configured in a conventional manner to beinternet-enabled, allowing it to communicate with remote facility 14 andWeb servers 26 using standard Internet communication protocols. Usingtechnology well known to those skilled in the art, the various dispenserpositions at a particular site can communicate with one another on apeer-to-peer basis using a local network or communications bus.

[0106] The illustrated remote facility 14 is provided in one form as acomputing environment having a transmit/receive capability relative tothe refueling environment (e.g., dispenser position 20) and network 16(e.g., Web 38). In this form, remote facility 14 includes a computingmachine, microcomputer, or other such processor apparatus containingsuitable software processes and programs to implement the presentinvention, namely, the communications and information exchange protocoldiscussed in relation to FIG. 4. In one particular configurationdiscussed further, remote facility 14 is suitably configured as aclient-side entity. Further detail on remote facility 14 is providedbelow in conjunction with a discussion of the communications protocoloutlined in FIG. 4.

[0107] During operation, with specific reference to FIG. 4, thecommunications system of FIG. 3 implements a communications andinformation exchange protocol according to the representative flowdiagram of FIG. 4. Initially, a customer interested in requesting arefueling transaction at dispenser position 20 submits credit cardaccount information via input device 32, which is provided in the formof an electromagnetic card reader (step 50). Input device 32 transmitsthe retrieved credit card account information to controller 36 in theform of a user identification (ID) signal 42.

[0108] Next, the user ID 42 is transmitted from the refuelingenvironment (namely, dispenser position 20) to remote facility 14 (step52). For this purpose, the dispenser position 20 (specificallycontroller 36) is preferably adapted to include a transmit/receiveapparatus to facilitate such transmission. The remote facility 14receives the user ID 42 transmitted from the refueling environment,along with an indication of the fuel dispenser site and dispenserposition combination that originated the user ID transmission (step 54).This indication may be provided using any suitable addressing scheme,for example.

[0109] In response to receiving the user ID 42, the remote facility 14initiates a communications session with a selective server 26 within theWorld Wide Web 38. In particular, remote facility 14 performs aclient-type functionality by generating a request for information andsending this request to a specified network resource, i.e., Web server26 (step 56). The client-server communication takes the form of a Webpage request 43 that is formatted and configured according toconventional techniques.

[0110] As discussed further, Web server 26 may be any network resource,but preferably falls within the class of servers capable of deliveringcustomized and targeted information (such as advertising) to a refuelingcustomer at dispenser position 20. These types of servers maintain anarchive of updatable customer profile records that record the onlineexperience of the user, namely, the history of choices, preferences, andselections made by a user during the multiple visits to the Web sitehosted by the server. In this manner, instead of downloading a Web pagehaving generic non-specific content, a requested Web page can betailored to the preferences of the requester (i.e., user). The profileis modified on an ongoing basis during the Web site visit as the usercontinues to make selections during an active online session.

[0111] The Web server 26 receives the Web page request 43 communicatedfrom remote facility 14 (step 58). In a conventional manner, and inresponse to the information request, server 26 sends a replycommunication to the content requester (i.e., remote facility 14) thatincludes a request for state information (step 60). In a preferred form,this state information request 44 takes the form of an interrogatorythat prompts or requests the client-side sender for a cookie dataelement.

[0112] According to one aspect of the present invention, remote facility14 is provided with any suitable data structure or other such means thatmaintains a plurality of user identification elements eachcross-referenced, indexed, or otherwise associated with a respectivestate object, i.e., cookie data element. For this purpose, remotefacility 14 preferably includes a database 15 to store such information.Each user ID corresponds to a respective customer of the refuelingenvironment (i.e., a past, present, potential and/or prospective user).

[0113] One illustrative record or entry 17 in database 15 shows arepresentative user ID element 42 associated with a respectivecorresponding (i.e., unique) state object, namely, cookie element 19.However, it should be understood that each user ID in database 15 may beassociated with a plurality of individual cookie elements each relatingto a specific server. Namely, each cookie element associated with aparticular user ID will be representative of a unique identificationnumber assigned by a particular corresponding server during an initialWeb site visit made by a requester client (i.e., remote facility 14).

[0114] More specifically, according to the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4,such an initial Web site visit producing the unique identificationnumber will be initiated by remote facility 14 on behalf of a certaindispenser site client location 40 in connection with a particular userID. This server assignment of the unique identification number follows aprotocol and uses techniques well known to those skilled in the art.

[0115] Before proceeding with the next step in the protocol, it isuseful to discuss the manner in which such cookie elements 19 aregenerated and stored in database 15 at remote facility 14. In a knownmanner, when a server directs a requester client to furnish cookie data,the client searches the cookie list maintained at the client todetermine if any cookie(s) exist having the specified server within thedomain definition. If any cookie elements match, the matching cookieelement(s) are forwarded to the server. However, if no cookie elementsmatch, an indication of this condition is communicated to the server.

[0116] The server interprets the absence of any cookie in the returnreply of the client as an indication that the current communicationsession between the replying client and the server represents the firstever visit by the client to the server. In response, the servergenerates a unique identification number that the server assigns to theclient (e.g., browser). Following this assignment, the server transmitsthe ID number to the client as a cookie. The cookie constitutes stateinformation that is stored on the client-side in a cookie list.

[0117] At the server side, the generated cookie is stored in a database.In applications involving the accumulation of user profile datareflecting the selections and other online activity occurring during aWeb site visit, the server database provides a means to correlate thisprofile data with the client identification number. This correlationallows the user profile data to be retrieved and utilized to construct acustomized Web page during subsequent visits by the client. The clientidentification number serves as a marker or search index key into theserver database.

[0118] At this point, once the assignment of the unique identificationnumber has taken place and the client-side entity has in effect beenregistered by the server as a web site visitor, the communicationbetween the client and server resumes and proceeds ahead according toits original purpose, e.g., the downloading of a requested Web page.This procedure for cookie generation and storage of the cookie at theclient-side and server-side is well known to those skilled in the art,particularly as it applies to the client-server model of the Internet.

[0119] Referring again to FIG. 3, it is envisioned that this cookiegeneration mechanism is incorporated into the present invention in thefollowing illustrative manner, although other procedures are possible.

[0120] Following step 60, when the remote facility 14 receives thecookie request 44 from Web server 26, the remote facility 14 executes asearch of database 15 to identify and retrieve any matching cookieelement(s) that are associated with the current user ID 42 of interest.The user ID 42 is used as a pointer or search mechanism within database15 to identify the relevant collection of cookie elements that will beexamined pursuant to the cookie matching operation. Upon determiningthat database 15 does not contain any cookie element for user ID 42 thatproduces a match vis-à-vis server 26, remote facility 14 directs acommunication to server 26 that reflects the outcome of the cookiesearch responsive to the server cookie request 44.

[0121] Server 26 receives this reply communication from remote facility14 and, upon recognizing that no cookie was found, generates a uniqueidentification number for assignment to the requesting client, namely,remote facility 14. Server 26 transmits this identification number toremote facility 14 in the form of a cookie.

[0122] At the server-side, the assigned identification number is storedin a cookie database 29 having a plurality of representative records orentries 21 each including a respective one of the assignedidentification numbers 23 linked or otherwise associated withcorresponding user profile data 25. As discussed further, the userprofile data is a representation of the online activity that hasoccurred during the various Web site visits made by a user identified bythe corresponding identification number.

[0123] At the remote facility 14, a functionality is provided torecognize an incoming cookie (namely, one having the server-assignedidentification number) and to invoke an associative operation that links(i.e., associates) the received cookie with the current user ID 42 towhich the instant client-server session pertains. Remote facility 14 isprovided with any well known functionality that enables it to keep trackof the respective user ID that pertains to the communications sessionduring which a cookie is assigned by a representative server 26 and sentto remote facility 14. In this manner, remote facility 14 can readilyassociate the incoming cookie with the correct user ID within database15.

[0124] Generally, the remote facility 14 is provided with any suitablemeans enabling it to correlate all of the network communications betweenit and a specified server with the respective corresponding user ID. Forexample, when remote facility 14 communicates with a network serveraccording to a typical client-server network session or transactionsequence, remote facility 14 maintains a correlation between the sessionand the relevant user ID to which the communications relate.

[0125] One distinguishing feature of the invention is that remotefacility 14 acts as a corresponding dedicated virtual client for each ofthe user IDs received from the refueling environment. From theperspective of Web 38, each time remote facility 14 accesses server 26in connection with a different user ID, it appears to server 26 that adifferent client machine is establishing an access connection theretosince a different client identification number (i.e., cookie element) isreturned to server 26 from the sender (i.e., remote facility 14).

[0126] Clearly, it is possible with the present invention for a singleclient-side entity such as remote facility 14 to effectively function(in a virtual manner) as a plurality of host clients each independentlyrecognizable by server 26 as a distinct entity. As a result, similar toconventional server configurations, server 26 can maintain independentuser profile records in relation to respective unique identificationnumbers (each corresponding to a respective user ID), even though all ofthe client-server communications involve a single client-side entity,namely, remote facility 14.

[0127] In one form, remote facility 14 can be considered a proxy clientthat effectively performs all of the various client-side activities thatclient location 40 would otherwise perform if communicating directlywith server 26 in a standard client-server relationship. In thiscapacity, remote facility 14 may execute its communication tasks withrespect to server 26 under the direction of commands and instructionsissued from client location 40. Alternately, remote facility 14 may beprogrammed to execute a known sequence of communication tasks, and onlyawaits receipt of a user ID from the refueling environment to initiateor launch the sequence.

[0128] Returning now to FIG. 4, and assuming that a cookie relating tothe current user ID 42 has been set, namely, that database 15 includes acookie element corresponding to the user ID of interest (and which wasassigned by server 26), the protocol of FIG. 4 resumes in the followingmanner.

[0129] In response to the cookie request 44 from server 26, remotefacility 14 searches and retrieves from database 15 the applicablecookie element that corresponds to the current user ID of interest (step62). It is seen that the user ID is employed as the indexing mechanismin database 15 to identify the relevant database record 17.

[0130] Of course, since each user ID likely will be associated withmultiple cookie elements each relating to a different server, remotefacility 14 will have a conventional functionality that enables it toidentify and retrieve the particular cookie element that was assignedand set by the specific server 26 of interest. In a known manner,multiple cookie elements would be set when internet communicationsassociated with a particular user ID include visits to various servers.In particular, each accessed server would cause a separate distinctidentification number (i.e., cookie element) to be assigned and set,during an initial visit.

[0131] For purposes of identifying the correct cookie element, remotefacility 14 is provided with a functionality that enables it to identifyand retrieve from database 15 only that cookie element for a particularuser ID that provides a match in connection with the current serverspecified for access. For example, an evaluation of the domainattributes for each cookie element associated with a particular user IDwill identify the correct cookie element matching the current server.

[0132] More specifically, as well known to those skilled in the art, amatch occurs when the specification for the targeted network resourcefalls within the range defined by the domain attributes of the cookieunder examination. A simple comparison operation can carry out thisevaluation.

[0133] A match therefore may occur involving the server that made theoriginal assignment of the unique identification number or some otherserver covered by the domain attributes definition. Typically, though,for applications similar to those contemplated herein involving thedevelopment of customized content, a domain attribute match will belimited to the particular server that generated and set the cookieelement.

[0134] Following a search of database 15 that yields a successful cookiematch, the remote facility 14 then sends a communication 45 to server 26including the retrieved cookie element 19 (step 64). The transmittedcookie element includes the unique identification number that wasoriginally assigned by server 26 during an initial visit involving therespective user ID 42, and then transmitted to remote facility 14 whereit was associated with user ID 42 and stored in database 15 as cookieelement 19.

[0135] Web server 26 receives the cookie sent from remote facility 14and compares the state information stored therein (i.e., theidentification number assigned by server 26) to the various cookie dataelements stored within database 29 to see if a match exists (steps 66,68). In particular, the server conducts a match or comparison operationto determine if the received identification number corresponds to anexisting user of the server, namely, whether the identification numberrefers to a prior visitor to the Web site. The assigned identificationnumber (i.e., the state information embodied within the cookie element)is used as an index key to search database 29, namely, the field 23 ofeach database record 21 where the server-assigned user identificationnumber is located.

[0136] Once the appropriate database record 21 in cookie database 29 hasbeen identified by its corresponding identification number, thecorresponding user profile data 25 is retrieved (step 68). Server 26 isprovided with a custom page generator 27 generally representative of anyconventional means by which a Web page can be generated, constructed, orotherwise furnished. In a preferred form, page generator 27 enables theWeb page construction process to be selectively customized or tailoredaccording to input data, such as by incorporating the informationrepresented by user profile data 25 retrieved from database 29 (step70). The customized Web page 46 generated at server 26 is then sent toremote facility 14 (step 72).

[0137] At the remote facility 14, the customized Web page 46 receivedfrom server 26 is downloaded to dispenser position 20 associated withthe user ID 42 relating to the current communications session withserver 26 (steps 74, 76). The manner of routing the customized Web page46 to the user destination within the refueling environment may occur invarious alternate ways. In one form, the Web page is first downloadedfrom remote facility 14 to controller 36 of the particular fueldispenser site where the user destination is located. Next, controller36 forwards the Web page to the applicable dispenser position 20. Itshould be apparent that conventional routing techniques may be used.

[0138] In another form, the Web page may be downloaded from remotefacility 14 directly to the user location (i.e., client location 40) inthe event that client machine 39 is provided with a network connectionto Web 38. In this manner, no routing need take place through controller36. Optionally, the Web page may be downloaded from server 26 to aselective one of the fuel dispenser sites (i.e., controller 36) and/orthe client location 40, thereby bypassing remote facility 14. Thisrouting scenario is readily available in a fully networked configurationsuch as shown in FIG. 2.

[0139] At the fuel dispenser site, the customized Web page received fromremote facility 14 is routed by controller 36 to the designated clientlocation 40 (at dispenser position 20) having the refueling customerfrom which the relevant user ID 42 originated (step 78). The Web page isthen processed by browser 37 in a conventional manner for presentationto the customer who is manning client location 40 (step 80).

[0140] At this point, the customer at client location 40 can continuethe open communications session with server 26 in a conventional manner.For example, as part of the ongoing visit to server 26, the user canmake various available selections from the displayed Web page, submitthe selections for processing by server 26, and upload further requestsfor information to server 26 via remote facility 14 (step 82). Remotefacility 14 will continue to function in a client-type manner vis-à-visserver 26 to manage and otherwise facilitate communications betweendispenser position 20 and server 26 (step 84).

[0141] At the server-side, server 26 continues to receive and processnewly submitted requests for information received from remote facility14 (step 86) pertaining to client location 40. Among its various tasks,server 26 will download requested Web pages (according to userselections embodied in the content request) and update the relevant userprofile data accordingly.

[0142] All of these communication activities involving client location40 and server 26 are preferably accomplished during a single opencommunications session. In particular, remote facility 14 willpreferably not close the session with server 26 until an indication ofsuch a decision is received from client location 40, namely, browser 37.

[0143] Additionally, the manner of generating, executing, performing,carrying out, and otherwise providing the various communications betweenremote facility 14 and Web server 26 according to the protocol outlinedin FIG. 4 may be performed using technologies well known to thoseskilled in the art. For example, any conventional software andprogramming techniques may be used to perform the variousinternet-related operations and functions involving the cookie utility,request commands, and response/reply commands. The communicationsbetween remote facility 14 and Web server 26 preferably follow aconventional client-server interaction typical of the Internet.

[0144] Further information on the cookie mechanism may be found in thedocument entitled “Persistent Client State HTTP Cookies”, a preliminaryspecification, found on the Internet athttp://home.netscape.com/newsref/std/cookie_spec.html, and the documententitled “Proposal for Extended Persistent Client State HTTP Cookies”,found on the Internet athttp://www.sbm.temple.edu/˜magnus/ext_cookie_spec.html, bothincorporated herein by reference thereto.

[0145] Various advantages are apparent from the embodiment of FIGS. 3and 4. As described, the remote facility centrally maintains acompilation of refueling customer identification elements eachassociated with at least one respective state object (cookie element)each uniquely generated by a respective server. In this manner, itbecomes possible for the remote facility to effectively serve as aproxy-type client entity capable of executing all of the client-sideoperations that each internet-enabled dispenser position would otherwisenormally perform if it were communicating directly with the server in atypical client-server relationship.

[0146] From the viewpoint of the accessed server, though, it does appearas if each Web site visit is occurring in connection with a distinctclient-side entity, since the same distinguishing identification number(i.e., cookie element) is being used to identify the client-siderequester to the server in response to the server-side cookie request.Thus, during each subsequent visit to a server conducted by the remotefacility in connection with a corresponding refueling customer user ID,the transmittal of the same corresponding cookie element as beforecauses the server to effectively recognize the client-side requester asa distinct corresponding user making a return visit. The server thentreats the remote facility communications as part of a return visit bythe distinct user, enabling the same corresponding user profile recordto be updated, since these profile records are identified by arespective unique identification number.

[0147] Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a communications systemsimilar to that shown in FIG. 3 for implementing a communications anddata exchange protocol, according to another embodiment of the presentinvention. The protocol and/or transaction sequence is set forth in theflow diagram of FIG. 6.

[0148] During operation, with specific reference to FIG. 6 inconjunction with FIG. 5, a customer interested in requesting a refuelingtransaction at dispenser position 20 submits credit card accountinformation via input device 32 (step 100). Input device 32 transmitsthe retrieved credit card account information to controller 36 in theform of a user identification (ID) signal 42. The user ID 42 is thentransmitted from the refueling environment and received at remotefacility 14 (steps 102, 104). The protocol steps 100, 102, 104correspond to steps 50, 52, 54 in FIG. 4.

[0149] In response to receiving the user ID, the remote facility 14executes a search of database 15 to identify and retrieve the cookieelement 19 corresponding to user ID 42 (step 106). As in FIGS. 3 and 4,the cookie element associated with the user ID incorporates and/orrepresents the unique identification number assigned by illustrativeserver 26 during an initial access connection (i.e., Web site visit)involving user ID 42.

[0150] It is envisioned that the operational procedure associated withformulating a unique cookie element (i.e., server-assignedidentification number) for each user ID will take place in the followingmanner. As discussed further, the protocol of FIG. 6 involves acommunications session between client location 40 and server 26 that isinitiated and maintained by client location 40. More specifically,unlike the protocol of FIG. 4, remote facility 14 simply communicates toclient location 40 the relevant cookie element associated with thecurrent user ID of interest, while the entirety of the client-serversession takes place between client location 40 and server 26 without theassistance of remote facility 14.

[0151] However, in the event that database 15 does not contain anycookie element corresponding to user ID 42 (specifically, there is nocookie match involving the specified server 26), remote facility 14 mayrespond in various ways. In one sequence, in a manner similar to thatdiscussed in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4, remote facility 14 caninitiate an information request with server 26. Then, in response to acookie request from server 26, remote facility 14 can direct a replycommunication to server 26 indicating that no cookie was found. Asbefore, server 26 will assign a unique identification number and send acorresponding cookie to remote facility 14 along with a set cookieinstruction. Remote facility 14 will then associate the cookie receivedfrom server 26 with the relevant user ID.

[0152] In another alternate sequence, following receipt of user ID 42and an unsuccessful search of database 15, remote facility 14 can simplycommunicate to client location 40 that no cookie was found. The clientlocation 40 can then carry out a similar interchange with server 26 toyield the assignment of a unique identification number by server 26. Forexample, the cookie element generated by server 26 which embodies theassigned identification number would first be sent to client location 40and then forwarded from there to remote facility 14, where it would beassociated with the pertinent user ID and stored in database 15.

[0153] Returning again to FIG. 6, and assuming that a cookie relating tothe current user ID 42 has been set, namely, that database 15 includes acookie element corresponding to the user ID 42 of interest (and whichwas assigned by server 26), the protocol of FIG. 6 resumes in thefollowing manner.

[0154] Following retrieval of the relevant cookie element 19 associatedwith user ID 42 and relating to server 26, remote facility 14 sends acommunication 51 to client location 40 including the retrieved cookieelement (step 108). In one form, the communication is routed bydispenser site controller 36 to the relevant dispenser position 20containing client location 40. As before, the transmitted cookie elementincludes the unique identification number that was originally assignedby server 26 during an initial visit involving user ID 42, and thenfurnished to remote facility 14 where it was associated with user ID 42and stored in database 15, namely, record 17 pertaining to user ID 42.

[0155] In response to receiving the cookie element communication 51 fromremote facility 14, client location 40 initiates a communicationssession with a selective server 26 within the World Wide Web 38 byissuing a request for information (steps 110, 112), according to aconventional protocol and format. The Web server 26 receives the Webpage request 53 communicated from client location 40 (step 114). Inresponse to the information request, server 26 sends a replycommunication to client location 40 that includes a request for stateinformation (step 116). In a preferred form, this state informationrequest 55 takes the form of an interrogatory that prompts or requestsclient location 40 for a cookie data element.

[0156] The client location 40 receives the cookie request from server 26(step 118). In response, client location 40 directs a communication 57to server 26 that includes the cookie element 19 relating to user ID 42that was previously furnished to client location 40 by remote facility14 (step 120).

[0157] The Web server 26 receives the cookie communication 57 sent fromclient location 40 and compares the state information stored therein(i.e., identification number) to the cookie data elements stored withindatabase 29 to see if a match exists (steps 122, 124). Protocol steps122, 124 are similar to steps 66, 68 in FIG. 4.

[0158] Once the appropriate database record 21 has been identified bythe identification number, the corresponding user profile data 25 isretrieved (step 124). Server 26 uses page generator 27 to construct acustomized Web page utilizing the information represented by userprofile data 25 retrieved from database 29 (step 126). Protocol step 126is similar to step 70 in FIG. 4.

[0159] The customized Web page 59 generated at server 26 is thendownloaded to client location 40 (step 128). In particular, at therelevant fuel dispenser site, the customized Web page received fromserver 26 is routed by controller 36 to the designated client location40 having the refueling customer from which the relevant user ID 42originated (step 130). The Web page is then processed by browser 37 in aconventional manner for presentation to the customer who is manningclient location 40 (step 132).

[0160] At this point, the customer at client location 40 can continuethe open communications session with server 26 in a conventional manner.For example, as part of the ongoing visit to server 26, the user canmake various available selections from the displayed Web page, submitthe selections for processing by server 26, and upload further requestsfor information to server 26 (step 134).

[0161] At the server-side, server 26 continues to receive and processnewly submitted requests for information received from client location40 (step 136) pertaining to client location 40. Among its various tasks,server 26 will download requested Web pages (according to userselections embodied in the content request) and update the relevant userprofile data accordingly.

[0162] All of these communication activities involving client location40 and server 26 are preferably accomplished during a single opencommunications session. One feature of the protocol outline in FIG. 6 isthat the online activity defining the visit between client location 40and server 26 does not involve remote facility 14. For this purpose,various suitable means may be used to facilitate an access connectionbetween client location 40 and server 26.

[0163] For example, the fuel dispenser site can be provided with anetwork connection coupled to controller 36 that allows client location40 to communicate with Web 38 over communications link 31. In one form,this link 31 may provide an Internet connection, such as in the fullynetworked configuration of FIG. 2. Alternately, client machine 40 mayitself be provided with a separate network connection to communicationslink 31 that enables it to avoid routing through controller 36. In thiscase, client machine 40 could be connected directly to the Internet. Itshould be apparent, however, that any suitable communications setup canbe implemented to facilitate the indicated communication requirements.

[0164] Various advantages are apparent from the embodiment of FIGS. 5and 6. As described, the remote facility centrally maintains acompilation of refueling customer identification elements eachassociated with at least one respective state object (cookie element)that was uniquely assigned by a respective server to fully identify aclient entity. In this manner, it becomes possible for the user (i.e.,refueling customer) to selectively designate any machine as a clientlocation capable of being effectively recognized by the network serveras the same distinct user as in previous visits.

[0165] This recognition is possible since the server-specific stateobject (cookie element) associated with the user ID of the relevantcustomer is simply forwarded by the remote facility to the designatedclient location and used by the customer (i.e., browser 37) incommunications with the specified Web server. In particular, this cookieelement received by client location 40 from remote facility 14 isfurnished to the server in response to a cookie request. The Web serveritself has no indication that the user is operating from a machinedifferent from prior visits since the user has been correctly identifiedusing the same state object, i.e., cookie data element.

[0166] In effect, the relevant state object (i.e., cookie) travels withthe customer since the cookie is immediately obtainable by the customerfrom the remote facility regardless of the location (i.e., fueldispenser position) that the customer has chosen as the current clientsite. Because the same traveling cookie is communicated from allpossible user client locations to the Web server in response to thecookie request, it effectively appears to the Web server that allclient-side communications are occurring in connection with the sameuser and client entity.

[0167] Accordingly, although the user may be conducting a web site visitfrom a dispenser location and client machine different from previousvisits, the server nevertheless recognizes and understands that the sameuser is visiting since the same cookie data element (i.e.,server-assigned identification number) is associated with the visit.Thus, the same user profile record may be continuously updated as therefueling customer visits the server from different locations, since thesame identification value (i.e., cookie element) that uniquelyidentifies each user profile record directs the server into behaving asif the same client-side entity is accessing the server. In effect, eachactual client location is reconfigured by the traveling cookie into aunique virtual client entity corresponding to a respective customer anduniquely recognizable by the server.

[0168] While this invention has been described as having a preferreddesign, the present invention can be further modified within the spiritand scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended tocover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using itsgeneral principles. Further, this application is intended to cover suchdepartures from the present disclosure as come within known or customarypractice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fallwithin the limits of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for use with a network comprising atleast one resource, said system comprising: a refueling environmentcapable of servicing at least one user; a remote facility disposed apartfrom the refueling environment; said remote facility being configured toexecute operational functions comprising: receiving a useridentification from the refueling environment, providing stateinformation associated with the user identification, and sending thestate information associated with the user identification from theremote facility to a selective one of the at least one resource in saidnetwork.
 2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the selective onenetwork resource being configured to execute operational functionscomprising: directing customized resource content from the selective onenetwork resource to the refueling environment, the customized resourcecontent being developed by the selective one network resource using thestate information received from the remote facility.
 3. The system asrecited in claim 2, wherein the selective one network resource furthercomprises: a means for developing the customized resource content, saidcontent development means being configured to operatively perform thefollowing operations: retrieving user profile data corresponding to theuser identification, the retrieval operation using the state informationreceived from the remote facility to identify the user profile data, theuser profile data being maintained by the selective one networkresource, and generating content using the retrieved user profile data.4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the delivery of customizedresource content from the selective one network resource to therefueling environment occurs via the remote facility.
 5. The system asrecited in claim 1, wherein at least one network resource respectivelyfurther comprises: a data structure comprising a plurality of user datarecords each indexed with a respective state information element; ameans for retrieving a user data record from the data structure, usingstate information operatively received from the remote facility as anidentifier; a means for generating content, using the retrieved userdata record; and a means for communicating the generated content fromthe respective network resource to the refueling environment.
 6. Thesystem as recited in claim 1, wherein said remote facility beingconfigured further to execute operational functions comprising: sendinga resource request from the remote facility to the selective one networkresource.
 7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least onenetwork resource being respectively configured to execute operationalfunctions comprising: prompting the remote facility for stateinformation, in response to a resource request received from the remotefacility, the resource request being associated with a respective useridentification; and generating and sending state information to theremote facility, in response to an indication received from the remotefacility responsive to the state information prompt that no stateinformation exists relative to the respective user identificationassociated therewith.
 8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein thestate information includes a cookie.
 9. The system as recited in claim1, wherein the user identification comprises at least one of credit cardinformation, biometric data, bar code data, phone number data, and namedata.
 10. A system for use with a network comprising at least oneresource, said system comprising: a refueling environment capable ofservicing at least one user; a remote facility disposed apart from therefueling environment; said remote facility being configured to executeoperational functions comprising: receiving at least one useridentification from the refueling environment, sending at least onerespective request for information from said remote facility to saidnetwork, each information request being associated with a respectiveuser identification and being directed to a respective selective networkresource, and sending at least one state object communication from saidremote facility to said network, each state object communication beingassociated with a respective user identification and being directed tothe respective selective network resource associated therewith, eachstate object communication being responsive to a respective stateinformation request issued by the respective selective network resourceassociated therewith, each state object communication includingrespective state information associated with the respective useridentification associated therewith.
 11. The system as recited in claim10, wherein each respective selective network resource being configuredto execute operational functions comprising: generating contentaccording to a user profile maintained by the respective selectivenetwork resource, the user profile being identified by the respectivestate information communicated from the remote facility, and directingthe generated content from the respective selective network resource tosaid refueling environment.
 12. The system as recited in claim 10,wherein: at least one network resource being configured to operativelyexecute the following operations: generating state information,responsive to an indication received from said remote facility that nostate information is present relative to a respective useridentification, and sending the generated state information to saidremote facility; and said remote facility being configured to executeoperational functions comprising: associating the state informationreceived from the respective network resource with the respective useridentification.
 13. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the stateinformation includes a cookie.
 14. The system as recited in claim 10,wherein the user identification comprises at least one of credit cardinformation, biometric data, bar code data, phone number data, and namedata.
 15. A system for use with a network comprising at least one node,said system comprising: a refueling environment comprising a pluralityof fuel dispenser sites, said refueling environment being capable ofservicing at least one user; a central facility disposed apart from atleast one fuel dispenser site; said refueling environment beingconfigured to selectively operatively communicate at least one useridentification from said refueling environment to said central facility,each communicated user identification being associated with a respectiveuser of a respective fuel dispenser site; said central facilitycomprising: a means to provide at least one respective state object inassociation with each respective user identification, and a means,responsive to at least one respective user identification, for directinga respective communication from said central facility to a respectivenode in said network, the respective communication including at leastone respective state object associated with the respective useridentification.
 16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein at leastone respective network node further comprises: a means for generatingcustomized content, the content being developed using a respective stateobject communication received by the respective one network node fromsaid central facility; and a means for directing the generated contentto a respective fuel dispenser site corresponding to the respective userhaving the respective user identification associated with the respectivestate object communication.
 17. The system as recited in claim 16,wherein the respective generation means of each respective one networknode further comprises: a means for retrieving respective user profiledata corresponding to the respective user identification associated withthe respective state object communication received by the respective onenetwork node from said central facility, the retrieval operation usingthe respective state object communication received from said centralfacility to identify the respective user profile data, the user profiledata being accessible to the respective one network node, and a meansfor providing content using the retrieved user profile data.
 18. Thesystem as recited in claim 15, wherein said central facility furthercomprises: a means for generating and sending at least one request forinformation from said central facility to said network, each informationrequest being associated with a respective user identification and beingdirected to a respective network node; and a means for generating andsending at least one reply communication from said central facility tosaid network, each reply communication being responsive to a respectivestate object request sent thereto by a respective network node and beingdirected to the respective network node, each respective replycommunication including at least one state object associated with therespective user identification.
 19. The system as recited in claim 15,wherein: said central facility further comprises: a means for directingat least one respective communication from said central facility to arespective fuel dispenser site, each respective communication beingassociated with a respective user identification of a corresponding userof the respective fuel dispenser site, at least one central facilitycommunication including at least one state object associated with therespective user identification; and said refueling environment furthercomprises: a means for directing at least one respective communicationfrom a respective corresponding fuel dispenser site to a respective nodein said network, at least one fuel dispenser site communicationincluding at least one state object communicated thereto from saidcentral facility.
 20. The system as recited in claim 18, wherein: atleast one network node respectively further comprises: a means forgenerating a respective state object, the respective state object beingassociated with a respective communication from said central facilityinvolving a respective user identification, and a means for sending thegenerated state object to said central facility; said central facilityfurther comprises: a means for associating respective state informationreceived from a respective network node with the respective useridentification associated therewith.
 21. The system as recited in claim15, wherein at least one state object includes at least one respectivecookie.
 22. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein each useridentification respectively comprises at least one of credit cardinformation, biometric data, bar code data, phone number data, and namedata.
 23. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein at least onenetwork node respectively further comprises: a data structure comprisinga plurality of user data records each correspondingly associated with arespective state information element; a means, responsive to arespective state object received by the respective one network node fromsaid central facility, for retrieving from said data structure a userdata record corresponding to the respective state object; a means forgenerating content, using the retrieved user data record; and a meansfor directing the generated content to at least one of said centralfacility and said refueling environment.
 24. A system for use with anetwork comprising at least one resource, said system comprising: arefueling environment capable of servicing at least one user; a remotefacility disposed apart from said refueling environment; said remotefacility being configured to execute operational functions comprising:receiving a user identification from said refueling environment,providing state information associated with the user identification, andsending the state information associated with the user identificationfrom said remote facility to said refueling environment; and saidrefueling environment being configured to execute operational functionscomprising: sending state information received from said remote facilityto a selective one of the at least one resource in said network.
 25. Thesystem as recited in claim 24, wherein at least one respective networkresource further comprises: a means for providing customized resourcecontent to said refueling environment, the customized resource contentbeing developed by the respective one network resource using stateinformation received from said refueling environment.
 26. The system asrecited in claim 24, wherein at least one network resource respectivelyfurther comprises: a data structure comprising a plurality of user datarecords each indexed with a respective state information element; ameans, responsive to state information received from said refuelingenvironment, for retrieving a user data record from said data structurecorresponding to the received state information; a means for generatingcontent, using the retrieved user data record; and a means for directingthe generated content to said refueling environment.
 27. The system asrecited in claim 24, wherein the state information includes a cookie.28. The system as recited in claim 24, wherein the user identificationcomprises at least one of credit card information, biometric data, barcode data, phone number data, and name data.
 29. A system for use with anetwork comprising at least one node, said system comprising: arefueling environment comprising at least one fuel dispenser site, saidrefueling environment being capable of servicing at least one user; aremote facility disposed apart from at least one fuel dispenser site;said refueling environment being configured to execute operationalfunctions comprising: directing at least one user identification fromsaid refueling environment to said remote facility, each useridentification being associated with a respective user of a respectivefuel dispenser site; said remote facility comprises: a means forproviding respective state information in association with at least onerespective user identification received from said refueling environment,and a means, responsive to a respective user identification receivedfrom said refueling environment, for sending a respective communicationto the respective fuel dispenser site associated with the respectiveuser identification, the respective communication including respectivestate information associated with the respective user identification.30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein at least one fueldispenser site respectively further comprises: a means, responsive to arespective state information communication received from said remotefacility, for sending a respective user communication to a selective oneof said at least one network node, the respective user communicationincluding the respective state information.
 31. The system as recited inclaim 30, wherein at least one network node respectively furthercomprises: a means, responsive to respective state informationoperatively received from a respective fuel dispenser site, forgenerating content according to a user profile maintained by therespective one network node, the user profile being identified by thereceived respective state information; and a means for directing thegenerated content to the respective fuel dispenser site.
 32. The systemas recited in claim 29, wherein the state information includes a cookie.33. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein at least one useridentification respectively comprises at least one of credit cardinformation, biometric data, bar code data, phone number data, and namedata.
 34. A system for use with a network comprising at least one node,said system comprising: a refueling environment comprising at least onefuel dispenser site, said refueling environment being capable ofservicing at least one user; a central facility disposed apart from atleast one fuel dispenser site; said refueling environment comprising: ameans for communicating at least one user identification from saidrefueling environment to said central facility, each communicated useridentification being associated with a respective user of a respectivefuel dispenser site; said central facility comprising: a means forassociating at least one respective user identification received fromsaid refueling environment with at least one respective state object,and a means, responsive to receiving a respective user identificationcommunicated from a respective fuel dispenser site associated therewith,for directing a communication from said central facility to therespective fuel dispenser site, the communication including at least onestate object associated with the respective user identification.
 35. Thesystem as recited in claim 34, wherein at least one respective fueldispenser site respectively further comprises: a means, responsive toreceiving a respective state object communication from said centralfacility, for generating and sending a respective communication to arespective node in said network, the respective dispenser sitecommunication including at least one state object received from saidcentral facility.
 36. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein atleast one network node respectively further comprises: a means,responsive to receiving a respective state object communication from arespective fuel dispenser site, for generating respective customizedcontent, the content being developed using the respective state objectcommunication received by the respective one network node; and a meansfor communicating the generated content to the respective fuel dispensersite.
 37. The system as recited in claim 35, wherein at least onenetwork node respectively further comprises: a data means for providinga plurality of user profile data elements each associated with arespective state element; a means, responsive to receiving a respectivestate object communication from a respective fuel dispenser site, forretrieving from said data means the respective user profile data elementcorresponding to the respective state object contained within therespective state object communication; a means for generating contentusing the retrieved user profile data element; and a means forcommunicating the generated content to the respective fuel dispensersite.
 38. The system as recited in claim 34, wherein at least one stateobject includes at least one respective cookie.
 39. The system asrecited in claim 34, wherein at least one user identificationrespectively comprises at least one of credit card information,biometric data, bar code data, phone number data, and name data.